Peter_Fitzpatrick

Peter Fitzpatrick

Peter Fitzpatrick

Irish politician and sportsman (born 1962)

For the Australian rules footballer, see Peter Fitzpatrick (footballer).

Peter Fitzpatrick (born 11 May 1962) is an Irish independent politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Louth constituency since the 2011 general election.[1][2]

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He was a former soldier in the 27 Infantry Battalion[3] and also a former manager of the Louth county football team.

Sporting career

A member of Clan Na Gael GAA club in Dundalk, Fitzpatrick won a Leinster Under-21 championship medal with Louth in 1981.[4]

Fitzpatrick was appointed the manager of Louth in November 2009, succeeding Eamonn McEneaney, the former Monaghan footballer and manager. His first season in charge of Louth proved to be historic as the team reached their first Leinster final in 50 years. The 2010 Leinster Senior Football Championship Final pitted them against Meath. Louth almost won but for a controversial goal by Joe Sheridan late in the game. Louth subsequently entered the 2010 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship through the "back door". However, the team lost heavily to Dublin in their next game, thus ending the county's 2010 championship season.

In the 2011 season, Louth qualified for the Division 3 Final where they faced Westmeath. Louth won on a scoreline of 1–15 to 0–13.

He quit in 2012 after 3 years.[5]

He went on to become the chairman of the Louth County Board, and was in this role when Mickey Harte was appointed Louth manager in 2020,[6] also with the successful application for planning for a new stadium for Louth GAA.[7]

Political career

Fitzpatrick allowed his name to go forward for a nomination for Fine Gael ahead of the 2011 general election.[8] He was elected as a Fine Gael TD for Louth.[9][10] In Dáil Éireann, he sat on the Committee for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and previously on the Health committee.[11]

He opposed the legalisation of abortion in Ireland, calling for a "No" vote in the 2018 abortion referendum.[12] In August 2018, he announced that he would not contest the next general election for Fine Gael.[12] In October 2018, he announced he would seek re-election as an independent and resigned from Fine Gael.[13]

Fitzpatrick was elected as an independent candidate for Louth at the 2020 general election. He is the first Independent to be elected for the constituency since James Coburn (later of Fine Gael) at the 1932 general election.

References

  1. [1]
    "Peter Fitzpatrick". Oireachtas Members Database. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  2. [2]
    Collins, Stephen (2011). Nealon's Guide to the 31st Dáil and 24th Seanad. Dublin: Gill & Macmillan. p. 149. ISBN 9780717150595.
  3. [3]
    "Louth's Fitzpatrick calls for Government action on Defence Forces pay and conditions". Dundalk Democrat. 5 April 2019.
  4. [4]
    "eye". The Argus. 22 November 2002.
  5. [5]
    "Fitzpatrick quits as Louth manager". The Irish Times. 30 July 2012. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  6. [6]
    "Louth chairman 'not expecting things to change overnight'". Hogan Stand. 24 November 2020.
  7. [7]
    Louth GAA rejoice as planning approved for stadium September 11, 2020.
  8. [8]
    "Fitzpatrick opts to seek nomination – Louth senior football boss allows name to go forward". The Dundalk Democrat. 25 January 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
  9. [9]
    "Louth – Election 2011". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  10. [10]
    "Peter Fitzpatrick". ElectionsIreland.org. Retrieved 15 October 2011.
  11. [11]
    "Joint Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport - Membership". Houses of the Oireachtas. Retrieved 20 August 2018.
  12. [12]
    "Peter Fitzpatrick to stand down as Fine Gael TD at next election". The Irish Times. 10 August 2018.
  13. [13]
    Murray, Sean. "Fine Gael TD Peter Fitzpatrick resigns from party". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
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